“How often do houses need painting?” While there’s no straightforward answer, several factors come into play when determining the frequency of painting your house.
Repainting a house should never be dismissed as frivolous spending because of its numerous benefits. By repainting a house you can improve its value, enhance its look, hide stains and permanent marks, improve air quality, and get a perhaps much-needed change in its look.
Beyond these advantages, it could even be cost-saving. For more information about how this is the case, you can visit: https://www.liveenhanced.com/.
A common mistake people make is treating the initial paint job as the sole required effort. Just like products with warranties, paint jobs also have a lifespan and will inevitably need repainting. In light of this, people need to know how often it should be done. Fortunately, you will find out here; provided you keep reading.
How Often Should You Paint Your Home?
The frequency of repainting a house depends on various factors. One of them and a major one at that is the part of the house to be repainted. Against this backdrop, here’s a breakdown of specific areas and how often they should be repainted:
Interior Walls
Unlike exterior walls that have a lot to deal with because of their first-hand exposure to nature, interior walls enjoy indoor protection. This means that they are well shielded from nature’s harsh side. As a result, there is usually no need to repaint them as frequently as you would exterior walls.
However, it should be noted that certain interior parts require more frequent repainting than others. Generally, these are high-traffic parts. Examples include children’s rooms and hallways.
These parts can be repainted every 4 – 7 years. On the other hand, low-traffic interior walls should be fine if they are repainted every 8 – 13 years.
Exterior Walls & Woodwork
For certainty, exterior walls require more repainting than interior walls. This is clearly because of their constant exposure to nature’s elements. It is hard to come up with a specific time as this depends on a range of factors as mentioned early on. Be that as it may, the time range should be somewhere between 5 – 10 years.
People who live in areas with frequent mild weather and climatic conditions can wait as long as 10 years or even a little over that. On the other hand, those who live in areas with frequent harsh weather and climatic conditions need it done much sooner.
Naturally, paint jobs on woodwork do not stand so much of a chance as paint works on exterior walls. As a result, exterior woodworks need to be repainted a lot more often. The schedule should be every 2 – 4 years.
Bathrooms & Kitchens
Kitchens and bathrooms may require more frequent repainting than exterior walls. Both parts (although indoors) are subjected to excessive humidity and moisture. Both combined can take their toll on a paint job.
The ideal repainting schedule should be every 3 – 5 years. Furthermore, it is important that painters use long-lasting and eco-friendly paint products, especially in these parts.
Interior Woodwork & Trim
Compared to walls, paint on woodwork tends to deteriorate faster due to frequent handling and the nature of wood. The same applies to trim, which is often made from wood.
However, some trim products are made using various kinds of synthetic materials. They should all be repainted sooner. Repainting can be scheduled for every 3 – 7 years.
Ceilings
In usual circumstances, ceilings do not need to be repainted as often as any other part of the home. Their positioning means that there is very little or no contact. As a result, it is not unusual to see them looking better than other interior parts. Repainting can be scheduled for every 7 – 14 years.
Painting Your Home’s Exterior
Exterior painting presents more complexity than interior painting. This is the more reason it should be carried out by a professional painter(s) and done properly. Speaking of doing a proper exterior painting job, here are some things to take note of:
Need for Thorough Inspection
The exterior parts have to be checked thoroughly. This is to assess how damaged the previous paint job is (if it was previously painted and if there is any damage). Some of the things to check out for include mildew, peeling paint, cracks, and rot.
Preparation
The surface to be painted has to be properly prepared. This happens by cleaning which can be done using a scrub brush or pressure washer; which is easier but needs to be used using the right water pressure level.
The essence of cleaning using either method is to remove loose paint, dirt, and grime. It is equally important that the cleaned surface is left to dry before further activities are carried out.
Right Products & Materials
For starters, there is a need to use the right materials. This is not just using top-quality materials but the right ones. For example, you should not use top-quality stucco paint for brick walls. It has to be top-quality brick paint. The point is to use something right for your climate and surface.
In the same vein, the right tools have to be used. These include tools like painter’s tape, scaffolding/sturdy ladder, drop cloths, brushes, paint trays, and rollers.
Proper Masking
There would be areas you do not want to paint or paint using a certain shade. Doors, windows, and trims are typical examples. Appropriate use of painter’s tape is required for this reason.
Cleanup
The tools and areas where the painting job was carried out have to be properly cleaned. This is one of the features that set good painters apart from amazing ones. These little details count and should be seen as such.
These are just a few tips for painting exterior parts of residential properties. You can click here for more information on this subject.
Conclusion
The frequency of repainting a residential property hinges on various factors. The part to be repainted is one of the very important ones as discussed here. In addition to making moves to repaint the various parts when due, the services of professional painters should be engaged for maintaining the quality and appeal of your home.
